GAC Group, iFlytek to build joint venture for digital auto cockpit solution

Shanghai (Gasgoo)- GAC Capital and Anhui Xunfei Yunchuang Technology Co., Ltd., the wholly-owned subsidiaries of GAC Group and iFlytek, inked an agreement on Nov. 30 to build a joint venture that focuses on such sectors as intelligent cockpit, IoV (Internet of Vehicles) and auto-related digital services, iFlytek said via its WeChat account.

Dubbed Xinghe Zhilian Automotive Technology Co.,Ltd., the joint venture is set up to offer auto industry its integrated solutions for intelligent digital cockpit, and provide users with safe and highly efficient digital services based on the core capabilities of AI, big data and software engineering.

iFlytek, GAC Group signing JV agreement; photo credit: iFlytek

Over the past decade, the fields of auto-related intelligent interaction, intelligent driving and intelligent service faced fast-paced promotion as such technologies as AI, big data, cloud computing and mobile connectivity have integrated with the traditional automotive industry. Since the development of the next-generation intelligent-connected vehicles (ICVs) is faced with more complex industrial environment, automakers and tech companies should pursue a closer cooperation on the design of solutions and the R&D and burnish of products through a highly efficient talent team. Besides, both parties should co-work on the rapid iteration and upgrades of functions and services within the product lifecycle, keeping rolling out new technologies, said the iFlytek.

As a well-known AI publicly listed company in China, iFlytek has built a complete product platform and service system pivoting on auto-related intelligent interaction, smart cockpit, intelligent marketing and intelligent services. The company said it has so far introduced its products into over 1,200 vehicles models and served more than 25 million car users with its factory-installed products. 

The state-owned GAC Group is dedicated to building its self-owned R&D systems for the intelligent connectivity and new energy vehicle. By virtue of its technical advantages in big data and AI, the automaker launched the ADiGO3.0 intelligent driving interconnected ecosystem, which is available for Level 3 autonomous driving features. Its intelligent IoT (Internet of Things) system rides on Qualcomm's Snapdragon SA8155 hardware platform and is powered by the world's first 5G-VBOX intelligent communications system.

The collaboration between iFlytek and GAC Group can date back to 2017 when the two companies and GAC R&D Center signed an agreement to jointly work on the innovation of core technologies and the upgrades of products and user experience in such domains as human-machine interaction, in-car intelligence, AI, big data analysis and IoV platform. In 2018, iFlytek and GAC R&D Center cemented the cooperation by co-launching an innovation hub focusing on auto-related AI technologies.